Year 11 Historians Explore Industrial Heritage at Plant Works for GCSE Study

This week C27 were able to tour the historic plantworks site in Hexthorpe, Donaster. Here they took a tour of the Wabtec facility from the HVAC testing shop to the erecting house which was home to the legendary Flying Scotsman. The students were able to take in the history of the location as they were escorted around the 22 acre site seeing where it reached to at the height of production, spanning a staggering 90 acres. The site has been an integral part of our community for more than 170 years employing thousands of local people who worked numerous jobs from labourers to master craftspeople. The plant was also an integral part of the war effort with Doncaster women becoming ‘Munitionettes’, working long hours in dangerous conditions.

With the future of the site being discussed this may well be the last cohort from XP Trust to visit such an important part of Doncasters heritage. With this area of Hexthorpe being home to such historic achievements and listed buildings it really was a privilege to be welcomed into this local slice of industry.  

From XP/E Classroom to Commons!

On July 9th, XP/E students will have the chance to visit Parliament.  This is an excellent opportunity for pupils to find out more about Parliament and includes a tour of the Palace of Westminster and an engaging curriculum-informed workshop in the Education Centre. 

Students in Year 7 to Year 10 are encouraged to apply by Friday 14th of March. All details on how to apply are outlined in the letter and presentation! We look forward to reading your applications.

Parliament Launch Letter 2025Download

Crew Brunel: Stewards of the XP Community

This week, despite the rainy weather, Crew Brunel showed incredible dedication by coming together for a litter picking session to help maintain the cleanliness of our community space. As stewards of the XP community, it’s important for us to take pride in our environment, and this teamwork was a perfect example of our shared responsibility. We also teamed up to clean and organise our crew space, and with everyone’s small effort, we made a big difference. The transformation showed how much can be accomplished when we work together.

Together, we’re not just cleaning up – we’re building a stronger, more supportive community.

A special shout-out goes to Matilda, who earned the highest praise points this half term with an amazing 36 points! Matilda has shown outstanding HoWLs this half term, and it’s reflected in her receiving the most praise points in our crew. Her dedication and positive attitude continue to inspire us all. Keep it up, Matilda!

I hope everyone has a fantastic February half term, full of relaxation, fun activities, and quality time with family and friends. Whether you’re taking it easy or going on an adventure, enjoy the well-deserved break! Take this time to recharge, and I look forward to seeing everyone back refreshed and ready for the next half term.

Miss Mitchell

Crew Brunel – Week 20 Update

This week, Crew Brunel have worked closely with their class buddies to reflect on their Habits of Work and Learning (HoWLS) throughout the half term. This collaborative process encouraged open dialogue, where they shared insights on their personal growth and set SMART targets for further improvement. By working together, they not only built a stronger sense of community but also held each other accountable for their progress. The reflection session provided students with a clear understanding of their strengths and areas for development, creating a nurturing, growth-focused atmosphere where everyone could thrive.

Also this week, Matilda and Chloe have earned the spotlight as star students of Year 8, receiving the most praise points for their outstanding contributions and hard work. Their dedication to excellence in both academics and behavior has set a great example for their peers. Matilda and Chloe’s consistent effort and positive attitude have truly made a lasting impact, earning them well-deserved recognition. Keep up the great work, Matilda and Chloe!

Miss Mitchell

Wise Wednesday – Crew Irwin/KBA

This term we have been looking at mental health in our Wise Wednesday sessions in crew. All students have approached this maturely and we have had so really thoughtful and in-depth discussions.

This week crew made posters to round off our topic to display in our crew room.

Fab work from all!

Mrs Barnes

X31 Skipper – Bringing a ‘Storm in a teashop’ to life!

Take a look into X31 Skipper’s classroom, where they have been working hard crafting and practicing their fluency skills in English!

Students have embraced the challenge of building their fluency and comprehension skills through one of our anchor text stories, ‘A Storm in a Teashop‘, focusing on the events during the First World War. It was a brilliant display of reading, with each student nailing key pauses, skilful dramatisation, and the use of clauses and tone pitch. Their interpretations not only shed light on stories of the First World War, but also showed courage and compassion for one another.

Take a look at the attached video to see the magic of X31 Skipper in action!

C31 Immersion Week: Digging into history & piecing together what is coming next!

C31 students have kicked off the term with an incredible first week of immersion! They have been working hard, getting smart, and being kind as they tried to figure out what their new expedition will be about. Many came close with their guesses, but the big reveal happened on Friday — and it was worth the wait!

Throughout the week, students engaged with new protocols, supported each other, and worked collaboratively. They also had the chance to interact with an expert in war artefacts, Michael and explore these artefacts, setting the stage for their upcoming expedition. It’s been awesome to see their teamwork, curiosity, and kindness as they navigated this exciting start to the year.

Check out the video below to see all the amazing work Year 7 has been doing. What a fantastic week!

Kicking off 2025 with a D6 session!

Today marked the first D6 session of Year 11, and also of 2025!

A number of incredibly dedicated Y11 students attended this morning and worked on science, maths, history and art work. The focus was a sight to behold – some great independent, and some small group work! Keep up the excellent work, guys – and thank you to the staff who supported on a frosty Saturday morning!

Crew KBA- Guess the penguins name

Crew KBA were thinking of ways we could raise money for our chosen charity ‘Helping Hands’ who help families around Doncaster. We came up with guess the penguins name. This was decided as this could be priced at 50p and also the person who guessed correctly would receive the penguin before Christmas. With 40 people guessing they raised £20 which is a great start to supporting our charity.

There was a lucky student who guessed correctly and this will be announced on student notices today 🙂